Can You Dig It?

Week Two of the Tel Gezer Water System Expedition started with a flurry of action. New volunteers arrived; a few team members went home. Work continued in the water system (Area B), at the wet sifter, the Canaanite gate (Area D), and on the bedrock near Area D. Sorry for not posting yesterday – internet connection problems hindered our ability to post.

There have been a few exciting finds this season – none that can be discussed here. No silver and gold like last year, but interesting finds nonetheless. The most important find is yet to come – a definitive date for the construction of the water system. Each day we are inching closer to that discovery. Piece by piece the team is trying to solve a complicated puzzle. Both the excavations in the water system and at the gate have this goal as their aim. The answers will come as the wet sifting process produces pottery samples from the water system to help us date its construction. Understanding the connection between the water system and the gate could also play a vital role in determining the construction date.

The Test

Each day after work, each member on our team faces a test. It isn’t academic and it is completely unofficial. It is called the “white towel test,” and it happens after our showers at Neve Shalom. After 15-20 minutes in the shower and what seems like a cubic meter of soap, I often think: “What dirt could possibly remain?” But the hotel towels grade harshly and are quick to point out ones failed attempts at cleanliness. Many take the test and many fail.

Prayers for the team

Keep the Gezer team in your prayers. Pray that Christlike love would bond the team together. Pray for our energy level, our health, our safety, and our attitudes. Pray for our families back home – that they would experience God’s peace and protection in our absence.